


Catch Lightning

by DipKit



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Cis Sokka (Avatar), Consent, Eventual Smut, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Mutual Pining, Politics, Trans Zuko (Avatar), and this is turning out way more smutty than planned, less politics than promised, they are both adults
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25736881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DipKit/pseuds/DipKit
Summary: Sokka and Zuko are going to be in an arranged marriage for political purposes, but they have to figure out their feelings first.---Iroh smiles brightly. "I know it seems like our advisors are leaping to conclusions, but apparently this plan was already brought to Sokka's attention, as a possibility."Zuko looks up at him, concerned. "Uncle, they already asked Sokka about this?" He was not going to care how his voice cracked a bit. "Did he… what did he say?" His stomach twisted up a bit in anticipation. They wouldn't have brought it to him if Sokka said no, right?"They did tell him the plan, of course, but he did not accept. Nor," he paused, "did he refuse outright. He has sent a message with the delegation indicating that he would like to speak with you about it, if it was something you wanted to entertain."---Rating will be updated as it progresses
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 87





	1. Panic Button

**Author's Note:**

> So there was a post by tumblr user gayavatarstyle  
> (https://gayavatarstyle.tumblr.com/post/618725556187447296/sokka-well-it-took-a-lot-of-twists-and-turns-but)  
> that I saw and was like, I know this is kind of a nonsense-fun situation, but what if? So here's me trying to make it... serious? Also, eventually, very feels-heavy.  
> The title is taken from that post!

"Prince Zuko, I think we should consider what your advisors have suggested."

They had just come from a very lengthy meeting about import taxes, during which Zuko had almost fallen asleep with all the heavy jargon and his Ministers of Finance had devolved into an hour-long argument. He had been looking forward to getting out of the dark room and stretching his legs, maybe going down for an afternoon nap. Then, at the last few minutes of the meeting, one of his advisors brought up the possibility of an arranged marriage. As another potential facet of the war recovery and healing of relations, of course. 

Zuko had been shocked into stillness as he listened to the short proposal; they had been in talks with the delegates from the Northern Water Tribe. Both believed it could be enormously beneficial to both nations if Zuko were to consider a betrothal to a member of their royal family. They phrased it as a simple suggestion, so Zuko was unsure whether they thought he was going to give them the go-ahead right then and there. So he had roused himself from his frozen position and said; "Let's adjourn, I think we have accomplished enough for now." And promptly, stoically, fled the room. 

His Uncle, of course, had followed behind him, and was now walking alongside him as they passed through the gardens on the southern side of the palace walls. 

"Uncle, since when were they even thinking about this? How long have they been going without telling me?"

"From what I understand, it has been a few weeks in the making, but only so they had a solid plan for you when they came to suggest it. Which I think is wise."

"What solid plan?"

"Well," he coughed. "They would have told you if you had not ended the meeting." Zuko looked a bit abashed, but shook his head. He got spooked. It's fine. He'll just have to suffer though it another time. 

"I know what it was, if you'd like to hear it," Iroh offered. 

"I don't want to hear anything about this." Zuko stopped underneath a large tree, and sighed. "But I should. And honestly, I'd rather hear it from you, Uncle." He stepped off the path and over to a wooden bench nestled by the flowering bushes. There wasn't anyone else around. Iroh followed him and sat down with a contented sigh. 

"So, it's pretty straightforward, the Northern Tribe leadership has been in contact with some of our foreign policy advisors for a bit, and the delegation that arrived help lay the basic plan out for  _ who  _ they would like to, heh, propose to you, as it were."

Zuko was feeling pretty prickly, despite trying to remain calm as he listened. "I'm not interested in anyone from the Northern Tribe, though. I don't even know anybody from there." He tried to think back to the coronation, and there had been representatives, but no one had been introduced as royalty from the Water Tribe. 

Iroh looked a little embarrassed now. Zuko was suddenly very glad that it was him and not his advisors telling him this, because he probably would have died if they said what Iroh said next. 

"Maybe not. However, you did spend a decent amount of time with that handsome young man from the Southern Tribe, if memory serves."

"Sokka?" Zuko's brain flooded with the images of his time hanging out with the guy. He was brash, sarcastic, genuine, tall, had a pretty nice face- he shook his head. "But? Is he…" 

"Yes. He is the son of the Chief of the Southern Tribe, and a very cunning young man." Iroh's eyes softened. "Speaking from knowing him personally, he's an approachable person, and someone with a decent enough sense of humor!" 

He chuckles a bit, but Zuko is aghast. "Uncle. Why. I mean, I understand but…" He buried his thoughts about Sokka. He didn't need to focus on remembering all the times they'd saved each other, the times they fought together, the late-night chats about nothing-

"Won't this cause an uproar?" Zuko gestured widely. "It's only been a few months since we actually struck down that decree that defined a legal marriage so narrowly. I can't imagine public opinion would have changed that much in such a short time, it's been almost eighty years since it was instituted." And it had been a hard-won battle indeed. So many people voiced their discontent, and he nearly fought his Chief Justice during the last heated discussion before dismissing him entirely. 

"Hm. You have a fair point, and this is something to consider for the good of the nation." Iroh mused: "Will it seem that you struck down the law for selfish reasons? Or will your public betrothal to another man send a powerful message to those in the nation who most need to hear it?"

Zuko smiled a bit. "A little of both, I suppose." 

"Yes, as is usual with these things. So," he looked carefully at Zuko, "you are not opposed to the idea of a betrothal, in this situation."

"No uncle, I'm not immediately opposed. No weddings yet though." It could mean a lot to a lot of people. It would have meant a lot to him, growing up. 

"No, no. That can be saved for a special time. That's not what will start off these post-war reparations on a good foot, the declaration will."

Despite not wanting to, he pulled his thoughts back to who exactly this convention of high-ranking ambassadors had chosen. He knew he was blushing, but that's just because he actually knew the guy. He had more for his brain to play with than just 'random water tribe royalty.' And  _ that  _ was making it hard to concentrate. 

Zuko sighed. "Does it have to be Sokka? Isn't there someone in the Northern tribe in a high-enough place?"

Iroh sighs. "I assure you. The Chief of the Northern tribe had one daughter, and we already spoke of what she bravely did in the raid. The line will pass to their nephew, but he is only a baby at this time." Iroh looks off into the distance in thought. "And the Avatar has turned into quite the suitor. I hear Katara, Sokka's younger sister, is quite taken with him."

Iroh smiles brightly. "I know it seems like our advisors are leaping to conclusions, but apparently this plan was already brought to Sokka's attention, as a possibility."

Zuko looks up at him, concerned. "Uncle, they already asked Sokka about this?" He was not going to care how his voice cracked a bit. "Did he… what did he say?" His stomach twisted up a bit in anticipation. They wouldn't have brought it to him if Sokka said no, right? 

"They did tell him the plan, of course, but he did not accept. Nor," he paused, "did he refuse outright. He has sent a message with the delegation indicating that he would like to speak with  _ you _ about it, if it was something you wanted to entertain." Iroh watches Zuko's face, and when he doesn't say anything, he says; "I believe he is interested, though I do not think to speak for him. Those were his words as told by the delegation."

Zuko's anxious pull in his stomach was lessened considerably. He spoke softly. "So I don't have to make a decision one way or the other, and we can just talk this crazy idea out."

"Mhm." Iroh nods, sitting back and putting a hand to his beard to twirl the end. "I would not allow them to force my nephew into something like this without considering his heart." 

And there was the sinking feeling again. He almost hopped off the bench with the sudden, dumb, very late realization that he had completely taken for granted that it was Sokka, a  _ man _ . Sokka, the  _ guy _ . Who they were proposing he, the Prince, get married to. He froze, perched on the edge of the seat, holding himself there. His gaze whirled around to his Uncle's face. 

"Wait, wait, how did they- I haven't told anyone I- that I like... Uncle, did someone tell them? Do all the higher-ups in the Water Tribe know?" He was clenching his fists on the edge of the bench. 

"No, please relax, Prince Zuko." Iroh guides his shoulders so he sits back. "They do not know, and I did not speak one way or the other when it was asked of me. Other than scarcity, I cannot say why exactly they chose Sokka."

Zuko breathed out a small sigh of relief. He had been trying to keep that fact to himself since he was old enough to know it was frowned upon. He knew it made the rest of his dating life more difficult to navigate, and he was okay with people just going off of the relationship he has with Mai, even if they had ended it amicably about two years ago now. 

"Their Tribes got pretty messed up because of us." 

Iroh nods. "It will take time, but without the war to make things harder, I'm sure their societies and royal families will begin to recover. And it makes this gesture more meaningful. At the moment, they have one man who may come to inherit great power in their Tribes. He is important to them. They are asking, and offering, something profound with this."

Iroh leans back into the bench, to stare over the lush green gardens. Zuko's gaze follows his. Irok speaks. "The Fire Nation and the Water Tribes. Will we tie our futures together, in order to walk forwards into more peaceful times?"


	2. Tea Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko and Sokka meet, ostensibly to discuss the arrangement, and things don't go exactly according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is more than a week after the first chapter but to be fair! I wrote the first chapter really fast and nothing else. I have a lot more to go on and it is now Quite Mature. I hope you can see how seriously I tried to treat this prompt ;)
> 
> I had to post it now or I'd continue re-writing for a month. 
> 
> Mind the rating jump. T->M

Sokka was arriving in the Fire Nation capital a few weeks after Zuko's conversation with Iroh, along with the delegates supposedly responsible for the arrangement.

Zuko didn't have very many people he could let his guard down around, and Sokka is one of those rare few. It's hard to save the world and overthrow a tyrant together and not end up on good terms. Zuko's been oddly distracted as he goes about his days, losing focus and on more than one occasion prompting someone to ask if he'd like to take a break from meetings. One of his medical staff did raise concerns that he seemed unwell. 

Well, let them think he has a low-grade cold or something. He wasn't about to openly admit that the prospect of seeing his friend was making him unreasonably nervous. He wasn't nervous in any direction; it was just his brain zooming around nothing and being a nuisance. He spent most of the early morning of Sokka's arrival holed up in his private training dojo, meditating with his breath of fire. 

The docks that morning were bright and sunny, and the singular ship that brought the small water tribe delegation had docked early. The rat-gulls squawked overhead and the mid-morning sun hit the back of Zuko's neck as he waited with two assistants and one of his advisors on the solid stone pier. 

The ship was fabulously clad in blue and white and stood out like a gem among the darker iron ships at port. The wooden deckramp was lowered, and Sokka was the first to step off the boat. Zuko returned his wave, noting that while he was carrying his seachest (which from experience Zuko knew was packed to the brim), he still only used one arm for it. The guy was strikingly well-toned. Or maybe Zuko hadn't been paying attention before. 

Sokka yelled out his name, and ran the rest of the way down and set his seachest on the dock. Then he rushed over to him with a smile and trapped Zuko in a polar-bear hug. Even if he was the Ambassador- and now, Zuko supposed, his potential betrothed- he didn't let propriety stop him. 

It had been a few months since Zuko had seen Sokka. He still had his relatively short hair pulled back into his wolf-tail, and the beads that hung from the brain on the side of his face came down to the edge of his brow. Zuko had a feeling he kept them trim. There's no way he looked that good without effort. It was always a bit of a surprise to Zuko, even after a year of knowing that Sokka was taller than him, to have to tuck his chin back into Sokka's shoulder when hugging him. It was a bit unfair, especially considering how wide the guy was now. And how Zuko was technically older. Zuko remembers the first time he had to look upwards to look him in the eyes; it gave his stomach a strange feeling, and he had just assumed that it was discomfort from being in that position. But the last two visits had been fine, now Zuko took a bit of comfort in these hugs. It was nice to have a strong guy able to wrap you in his arms no problem. And the warmth of him was very welcome as he tightened the hug. When Sokka released him, the smell of clean, salty ocean water and heavy sea prunes went with him. 

Over Sokka's shoulder, Zuko was met with a decidedly unfriendly face. Hakoda, Sokka's father had walked down after him. The guy didn't look much older than he did the last time Zuko saw him, but he was a little more tired. Maybe it was the early day. Zuko hadn't even seen him at first, and the man didn't look very happy. 

The small frown Hakoda had wasn't nearly as bad as when his own father had scowled at him- there wasn't any malice to it that he could see, but Zuko had no doubt that the frown was for him. At the moment, Zuko had no clear idea why he'd be mad. 

Sokka seemed to remember where and what he was doing- so he stepped back and shook Zuko's hand- well, arm- in the standard Water Tribe fashion. Zuko didn't bother to control his smile. It was Sokka, his friend he was finally seeing after months apart. 

The other three water tribe people walked down as well, and his advisor greeted them. Zuko watched and then shook arms with each of them. When he moved to give Hakoda the same welcome, the man, while not crushing him, gave a  _ very  _ firm grip.  _ Is he not on board with all this?  _ It was a little worrying that he didn't really smile at him. 

They exchanged pleasantries and welcomes to them and the three other water tribe representatives. The assistants helped with any more bags the delegates had, and as a group they rode the open ostrich-horse pulled wagons up to the royal palace. 

\---

Sokka took in the sights and smells that only the palace city inside the giant volcano could give him. The air shimmered atop some buildings with summer heat, and the scent of charcoal and wood wafted by. Everything was so- red. Almost eye-searingly so, like always. He was continuously shocked at how pervasive the decor style was. What, were they worried people would forget whose palace they were staying in? 

The delegation and Hakoda were all led to their separate lodgings, leaving Zuko and Sokka to walk through the palace. Sokka assumed that was Zuko's doing, again. He seemed to like taking time out of his busy schedule whenever he came into the city. 

IT had always been like this, a friendly camaraderie and a lot of sharing of news as they walked the halls together. Their shoulders bumped and Sokka frequently knocked his hand into Zuko when he was gesticulating during a particularly important anecdote of a giant seal-turtle getting into a food store in the north pole. Zuko's sharing was always more controlled, more proper, but the smile and shine in his face was just as engaging to Sokka. He was glad the corridors of the palace were so wide, so he could follow Zuko's face instead of watching ahead of him. 

Zuko then switched to helpfully pointing out new side paths and various rooms to him. Apparently they had remodeled some of the old architecture. But admittedly Sokka was now paying more attention to Zuko's voice than the things he was saying. It echoed softly off the walls, a low thrum and slight rasp that always pulled Sokka's attention like the deep hum of the ocean, and the rasping of waves over rocky ground. Especially when he was speaking low like this. It always put Sokka at ease. 

In the upper floor of what seemed like a less fiery-red building, Zuko stood aside to let him go first into a room. Thankfully, this room was much more neutral, an off-white to the walls and dark wood lining for the windows and furniture. It was bright and sunny, and the three big windows were open to a bright blue sky and a gentle breeze that stirred the curtains and sent the smell of fresh linens toward him. It was clearly a new bedroom: a decently sized corner bed on the left, a desk to the right, with a low table, some lounge chairs under the windows, and two more internal doors on the right side. 

This was gonna be an interesting day. He shook his head, realizing he hadn't been paying attention for a bit. 

"...your rooms, for as long as you're here." he heard as he finally understood what Zuko was saying. 

Sokka set his sea-trunk on the ground by the bed. At least this one was on the side of the room, instead of how he knew Zuko's was; smack in the middle on a dias. Now that was weird. 

He flopped himself onto the white puffy comforter, and looks up as it deflates around him. Zuko had moved over to the little tea-table, sitting down and setting out two cups to pour them some tea. He wasn't wearing big expensive robes right now, for which Sokka was grateful. He looked almost normal- didn't even have the little crown-thingy in his topknot. But that meant he could watch Zuko's forearms flexing as he moved the teapot by the cups. Dang. The guy was definitely on some crazy training, he was toned. Was he this toned the last time? 

He sighed to himself.  _ Hey, maybe don't be a creep within the first hour of being back around him _ . 

Instead he said aloud; "This is much nicer than where I stayed last time!" 

Zuko smiled, "Yeah, we didn't have this place fully built yet." he busied himself with making tea. "It was actually your fault. You said it would be better if we didn't have so much black and red all over." 

"I believe my words were 'this place is depressing and you need a better theme,' thank you."

"Same thing." he shrugged. A lock of hair fell into his view and he tossed his head to put it behind him. Sokka always liked how Zuko kept his hair long. It was nice, and really soft, when he could make an excuse to touch it. 

"I guess I'm already improving the Fire Nation," he retorts, just to have something to say. 

Zuko snorted, and Sokka sat up, but Zuko was just smiling at him. A little one but still. He thought it really completed the picture before him; the guy was radiant in the sunlight spilling from the windows. It caught his face and made his eyes practically glow golden; his jawline was accented against the shadows of his hair, which was thrown into sharper shadow with the light catching edges to show how it was swept back into his hair clip. Sokka could even see how his collarbones disappeared into his deep red shirt. It made Sokka want to be a better painter. 

"How are you?" Zuko asks casually. 

_ Oh, just dying a little the more I see of you _ . 

"Good, good, very much looking forward to keeling over in the heat."

"Surely the ambassador can handle a little warmth," Zuko teases, moving one of the teacups toward him. 

Sokka walks up and sits across from him, scoffing. "'A little!' Need I remind you, this place is called 'The Caldera,' and I was sweating before I got off the boat." Sokka was always good at complaining; it was one of his specialties. 

Then Zuko smiled at him again. It was nice, seeing him smile so easily. It was cute. 

"You've been fine before." 

"Hmph." Zuko sets the teapot to the side and clinks the lid back into place. His hands move with a delicacy to them. Maybe Sokka's brain is just making things up now. He suddenly remembers that he's here to talk about being betrothed to the guy in front of him, but he doesn't want to start the conversation that way. He tries to come up with something less awkward, but Sokka's brain short-circuits as usual and he blurts out; 

"So- I didn't know you were into guys." 

Zuko's eyebrow twitches. "That's what you lead with?" he deadpans. 

"Hey, no sassing me, I've just had to endure a long sea voyage with my  _ dad  _ grilling me about the same thing, I can inflict a bit on you." It hadn't been that bad, honestly. It seemed like his dad understood better than he himself did. But it had still been awkward. 

Zuko sits back a bit. "Yikes. Wait, is that why-" he considers for a moment, "Is your dad mad at me?" 

"What?" 

"He seemed... not happy. When you got in this morning." Zuko looks at Sokka, an open question on his face. 

"Oh? I mean he's probably tired." He shrugs. "He just gets that way sometimes."

"Huh. Okay." Zuko picks up his teacup. 

"Good dodge, but I'm still curious." Sokka leaned over the table, looking at Zuko's face from an angle. 

Ugh. Zuko takes a small sip of tea. "Um, yeah. So- I'm into guys. Have been, for a while." He glances sideways. "Pretty exclusively." 

"Oh?" Sokka tries and fails to pick up the still-too-hot cup, sets it down again. He had no idea. The fact that everyone had just assumed that Zuko was open to the idea- well, Sokka guesses the idea was borne due to him being the only 'royalty' left. No assumptions there, just no other offers. So if Zuko had said no outright, that would have been a pretty obvious sign that he wasn't into guys anyway. Exclusively though, that was interesting. 

Zuko nods. "I just wasn't out about it. Still not, actually. It's kind of an open secret. You?"

Sokka had a scalded fingertip in his mouth, but he quickly puts his hand down. "Uh, kind of the same?" No wait, not really. "I've sort of always been into- everybody I guess- but you know, too busy..." He circles his hand through the air. He hadn't dated a guy before. 

Zuko laughs. "I'm familiar with that problem." He puts an elbow on the table and leans forward, chin in hand. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

Sokka swallows hard. "Actually, it's kinda the whole betrothal thing. It just, it seemed like people were running away with this crazy idea and I had no clue how  _ you  _ felt about it."

"Well, how do  _ you _ ?"

"Nuh-uh, I asked first." Sokka crosses his arms. 

Zuko rolls his eyes. " _ Sokka _ ."

Sokka didn't budge, pushing his chest out and keeping his arms crossed. He knew it was childish but ever since he had turned 19, the tactic had become effective again for reasons he couldn't quite figure out. Don't fix it if it ain't broken. 

Zuko went a little pink and avoided looking at him for a moment. Then he says, "Fine. I think it's a good idea. Makes sense, politically and all." He drops his gaze to his still steaming tea. "I don't know how to feel about it personally."

Sokka uncrosses his arms and relaxes. "Okay, same." Zuko looks up again. "I wanted to come and maybe pro _ pose _ something else." Zuko raises his eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. And refusing to acknowledge the great wordplay. Sokka fidgets with the hem of his shirt before he realizes he's doing it, and sits up straight with his hands on his knees. 

"We could- uh, for a bit- just to, you know, like," he rubs his neck, "see if we could make it work." Oh god he can't say it. That was nothing. 

And Zuko doesn't seem to catch on. "We could what? Make  _ it _ work?"

Sokka nods. 

"What's  _ it _ ? A marriage?"

"No, no no no, no. Just like, us. We could do a trial. You know," Sokka is looking everywhere but at Zuko now. His mouth isn't listening to his brain and he doesn't want to see what kind of look Zuko's giving him.  _ It's fine _ , he tells himself,  _ just say the thing _ !

There was a beat. "Sokka, did you arrange all this just to ask me out?"

"What? No! I wasn't even part of the talks the Northern Chief was having with your council guys." His face feels a bit hotter but continues, "Once they told me I, you know, thought it could be worth a shot." He shrugs. 

Zuko is still leaning on his hand, and Sokka just now realizes the front of his shirt is angled to him so he can see down it pretty well, and he  _ knows  _ his face is going pink. He could blame it on the climate. It's just embarrassing to ask him to date. He hasn't really tried with guys, not for a long time anyway. It wasn't something he felt comfortable doing. 

He avoids looking at Zuko for a bit by blowing on his tea and trying to pick it up again. 

Zuko hums for a moment. "There  _ are  _ definitely easier ways to get a date." Thankfully, Zuko seems to take pity on him. "Do you want to go on some dates, Sokka?"

"Yeah. Yes. Please." Sokka sighs, feeling like he had just sprinted across a field. Exhausted and wired all the same. 

"Really?" Zuko asks. 

"Really." Sokka takes a swig and coughs, trying to rally. That was way more difficult than it should have been. "I didn't figure I was your type," Sokka waggles his eyebrows with a confidence he didn't feel.

"Lucky for you I like sarcastic smartasses who make bad puns." Zuko delivers it almost without inflection, and Sokka is offended for a split second before he's slammed with the realization that that's the most direct flirting he's ever gotten out of Zuko. 

Zuko is flirting with him. The Firelord, with his long black hair and soft smiling face and really strong arms and chest- not that he was looking, he wasn't- was being charming  _ at him _ . 

And he had been sitting there too long with who-knows-what expression on his face. "Oh-"

"I- I've got to go." Zuko suddenly got up from his pillows and was halfway to the door before Sokka goaded his body into moving and stood up. Zuko cast a look behind himself as he opened the door. 

"I've got an appointment to keep but I'll send someone to get you for dinner, okay?"

Sokka could barely keep up with whatever power-play he was sure Zuko was pulling on him. "Okay?" was his extremely non-committal reply, but it seemed enough for Zuko, who said;

"Okay, I'll see you at dinner then." And then he was alone. 

Sokka had no idea what to do aside from flapping his arms around and not screaming. Maybe Zuko thought he wasn't into the flirting? It's not like Sokka responded  _ well  _ to it… He smacked his forehead.  _ Dammit. Get it together, Sokka _ . Maybe Zuko didn't actually want to flirt with him. Maybe he misinterpreted. Maybe it was sarcasm, though he didn't think Zuko was capable of sarcasm. He hadn't even asked the one thing he came here to ask. Why was that so hard? Didn't he want to date Zuko? Hadn't he wanted to for such a long time? 

Sokka's internal questionnaire was not being very helpful right now. He knew he was going to have a hard time asking, and he knew he needed to psyche himself up for it, and still he couldn't even get the words out.So he forces himself to go with cautious optimism. He flops back down onto the cushions by the dark wood tea table. 

Having Zuko not immediately shut this whole thing down was good. Seeing him again- seeing Zuko smile that much- had made his whole body feel light. Like the sweat he was losing to this stupid heat was risking making him unburdened enough to float up to the ceiling. He sipped more tea, and hoped none of the wavering his brain was doing was a sign of heatstroke. 

\---

Zuko could not have removed himself from that room fast enough. His face felt like it was burning up in all the wrong ways, and he was already berating himself. " _ Lucky for you I like sarcastic smartasses who make bad puns _ ?" What the fuck did that even mean? Was he trying to just flat-out insult him? 

Sokka hadn't even responded with a joke or a quip- he just froze and Zuko couldn't read his expression and a non-response was never a good one- 

So he left. He was already super nervous and thought the tea would help… he didn't even drink it. Stupid. Fuck that was terrible. He needed to apologize and calm down. 

He needed to meditate. 

======

Apparently Zuko wasn't the only one who thought a physical distraction was needed. After he rose from his hours-long meditation in the warm upper story of the palace, (wearing only the simplest of a shirt and pants he could find) he was walking back towards his personal annex when he spotted Sokka in the outdoor courts. He was holding a training sword, moving through a couple of forms that ZUko was sure weren't actually forms. But he made them look good anyway. Entranced, Zuko turned sharply and walked over to him, watching as Sokka concentrated on his footing and balance, moving slowly through the motions. 

Zuko leans against the lattice-fence doorway to the court, watching him practice. Sokka continues to step through a few more poses before turning towards Zuko and jumping, dropping his wooden sword into the short grass. 

"Hi there." 

"How long have  _ you  _ been there?" Sokka still sounded surprised. 

"Not long enough, I guess. What style is that?" 

Zuko sees Sokka's eyebrow go up for just a moment, and he shifts his stance before answering. "It's not exactly a style. Master Piandao taught me some of his stuff but I keep combining it with things I got from the Kyoshi warriors. And some other things kind of thrown in there." He picks up his wooden sword and hikes it over his shoulder. 

"That's pretty cool," Zuko says, sincerely. Sokka was always coming up with new ideas that way it seemed; just mashing concepts together until something amazing happened. 

"Hah! Good to know I've got a fan." Sokka smirked, then he put his other hand on his hip. "So, are you just here to stare?" 

Zuko hums, and before he can regret it, he swipes his shirt off in one smooth motion, feeling the midday sun scorching down and breathing life into him. He tosses the shirt aside, and walks over to the little frame of practice swords to pick one up. It feels light in his hands. 

He turns back to Sokka who hasn't moved his feet, just turning to stare at Zuko with the strangest expression on his face. Was he getting sunburnt? 

"What's the matter? Where's your stance?" Zuko wants to ready up but Sokka isn't even trying. 

"I swear you're just trying to intimidate me." Sokka shakes his head and readies himself. 

Zuko brings up his sword, feet gliding over the short grasses. "I  _ can  _ be pretty intimidating. He lunges, and Sokka's sword meets his, so he does a quick step back, keeping range. 

"Yeah, well you did just walk up to me basically naked." Sokka says, switching his sword to his left hand. Zuko blushes. 

"I’m wearing pants! That’s not naked at all!" He defends a slice to his chest, and Sokka steps back, staying out of reach of his retaliation. 

They sink into a pleasant rhythm. They cross each other, back and forth, Zuko trying to get a hold on what kind of strange dance Sokka is playing with. He steps in, swipes, and steps back, but Sokka is really calculated, wandering all around the court, keeping Zuko at distance until he sees an opening, then sweeping or stabbing at his legs, his elbow, even once managing to break out into a run and swing at his blind spot. They both get a few taps in, a couple solid whacks, and once Sokka is able to push a pretty big stab right in Zuko's gut. He grunts and coughs, but they're training swords and have flat ends. He's sufficiently miffed about it. 

So the next round he sizes up Sokka, goes low, and whips around and up until he has Sokka's sword arm under his. Zuko tacks the sword out of Sokka's grip. He stands there with his own cross-wise on Sokka's neck, them both panting heavily. Zuko is grabbing Sokka's left hand, holding it down and back so Sokka is right up against him, they're both smiling despite the heat and difficulty. Zuko is really impressed with him- the first few taps and connections were mostly Sokka's. Sweat beads down his face. 

Sokka groans wildly in frustration, trying to step back. Zuko doesn't let him. 

"You’re hot so it's distracting!" Sokka says, and Zuko freezes for a moment. Oh. Zuko blushes. He knows he’s fit but still, having Sokka be visibly flustered just from looking at him? That makes him feel pretty damn good. 

Zuko is broken of his reverie when Sokka grabs Zuko's sword arm and makes him drop his own sword, then gets a grip on him from behind. He barks a triumphant  _ Ha! _

Zuko grunts, and gets a further hold on Sokka’s other arm, and says "You’re one to talk, just out here flexing-" he wiggles to test Sokka's grip- "and being super focused like you have no idea how attractive that is." Sokka is distracted by that for a moment, and Zuko slips out by turning under his arm, freeing himself to trip Sokka backwards (away from the swords) and bring him down with his forearm bracing across his chest, holding Sokka's left arm away from him. He winces and Sokka gets the wind knocked out of him. 

After a gasp or two, he chokes out "Hey, at least I'm not shameless like you!" He smirks, even while being pinned. 

"I never took you for the prudish type." Zuko raises his eyebrows, trying to pin Sokka's legs with his own. Before he can, Sokka pitches and rolls, pinning Zuko beneath him. 

Zuko glances down, trying to find a way to bridge out. Now Zuko is aware of how fully Sokka's lying against his chest, even has both thighs over Zuko's to keep him pinned. They haven’t moved in a few seconds, just breathing hard. There's a few bits of grass clinging to them, a small puff of dust settling from where they tumbled over. 

\---

He can feel Zuko's pounding heartbeat right beneath his own, feel the shifting of his legs ever so slightly, can see him lick his lower lip. He doesn't try to buck Sokka off, nor does it feel uncomfortable. Despite the fact that they're both sweaty. And Zuko's shirtless. And Sokka will have to move off of him to retain his dignity if this contact continues. He didn't mean for this to be so intense or to fear Zuko feeling him get  _ excited  _ and now he's going to die because he can't just do that but Zuko did come up to him and did take off his shirt but that doesn't mean he's okay with- 

He sees Zuko look down to his lips. Oh?

"Can I-" "Do you want to-" 

They both speak over each other, and stop. 

They're both really blushing now, and Zuko's got a twinge of a smile starting. They’re staring into each other’s eyes, and Sokka finishes his question with a soft; 

"...kiss?" And head tilt. Zuko nods, his chest stilling beneath Sokka. Sokka moves his arm from pinning Zuko's chest to bracing on the ground by his neck, while Zuko leans up just enough to meet Sokka’s lips with his. 

This was probably the first time since coming back to the fire nation that Sokka felt like he didn't need to think. Not about whether they were getting betrothed, whether Zuko liked him, whether this whole thing was a giant nuisance and embarrassment. No, now he was blissfully unaware of the massive scandal he could be responsible for; he was just a guy, kissing another guy. 

They moved their lips softy, Sokka's weight on Zuko shifting upward as they lay in the grassy dirt. It was tender, he could feel Zuko just barely moving his lips against his own. The smell of sun-kissed sweat and crushed grass and the faint hint of jasmine tea was swirling around him. Sokka changed the angle, and Zuko followed with a deeper kiss, their breaths intermingling. Sokka's skin felt like it was glowing. He cupped Zuko's head with his one hand, the other moving to support his weight on his elbow beside Zuko's head. Zuko pressed him upward with the force of his kiss, and tugged him close by grabbing at the front of his shirt. 

His mind starts up a little as he feels Zuko move. For some reason he expected kissing a firebender would be hot. Temperature-wise. It's nice that Zuko is almost cool against him. Or maybe he's just hotter than the guy right now? He's trying to not crush him- lifting himself up on his elbow and one of his knees, but the way Zuko is grabbing and pulling at him makes it hard to stay off him completely. 

So he doesn't. His knees are on either side of Zuko's and he puts his weight on the man, who doesn't seem to mind and if the sound he just made in his throat is anything to go by Sokka made the right move. Sokka's kissing his light skin down the side of his jaw- he wants to get closer somehow, and the taste of his sweat is barely there as he mouths along Zuko's neck but it's still tantalizing. He can feel Zuko's pulse racing under his lips. Zuko gasps and moves his body up against him. Sokka loses focus on kissing along his neck with Zuko now free to make quiet noises in his ear; he's gasping so softly and his hands are gripping Sokka's shirt tighter against him. His short, breathy sounds mix with the sound of Sokka's lips on skin and the hollow clicks of his hair beads against each other- all under the soft scuffling of their bodies against the grass. 

Sokka groans against Zuko’s neck, moving his hand down to his hip, thinking to make him stay still. Zuko quickly shoots his hand down to grab Sokka’s and uses that leverage to press up into him; once again pinning rolling Sokka under his body. He feels the grass tickling the backs of his arms and neck, and Sokka is confused for a moment, thinking maybe he had gone too far. But Zuko leans down from his new position to kiss him again, slower, with less force but almost more feeling. Sokka has had tender kisses before, but they were with his girlfriends. This was different, but probably not because of that, but because Zuko was such a different person. He felt calm, collected, determined, even with the force behind the kisses and the way his teeth grabbed Sokka's bottom lip and made Sokka gasp into him. 

Zuko pins his hand to the ground by his shoulder. Now they both definitely had a lot of grass and dust on them; Zuko's hair has a few streaks of dirt in the deep black. 

Zuko leans back for a moment. Sokka looks up at him and kisses his lips once more before he gets too far. He’s never seen such a thrill in Zuko’s eyes, and he thinks that despite having worked up a gross sweat even before the impromptu wrestling match, he wouldn’t mind spending more time here. Especially with the hefty weight of this shirtless, tightly muscled prince on top of him. 

But. Zuko’s grasp on Sokka’s shirt is loosened, and he pushes himself up to sit on Sokka’s thighs. Which isn't super great for Sokka but he'll live, and at least he's not in his lap. Zuko's smiling at him for a moment longer; something deep and almost hungry behind his gaze. Then a flicker goes through his gaze as he glances towards the sun. 

That brings Sokka's attention back to the present. He looks as well, and notes just how low it fell. "Shit, I've got to get ready for the dinner," he laments. 

Zuko chuckles, not moving to get off of him. “What's wrong with how we look now?”

He splutters. "It's- you're the firelord! It's your court! I get told every time I come here that I need to act more proper for the formal stuff." He pouts. The injustice of it all. 

Zuko just smirks. Sokka leans up onto his elbows. 

"Besides, your hair is all dirty," He sees something dark on Zuko's neck, and oh. Oh no. "And you have… uh." He gestures at Zuko. 

"What?" His hand moves up to his mouth, touching slightly swollen lips. 

"Uh. Your neck- I kind of- um." 

Zuko presses into the side of his neck and hisses slightly as he touches a particularly dark mark. His eyes fly wide, "Sokka!" He practically stage-whispers at him. "What the fuck? I didn't do that to  _ you _ !"

"Oh, uh, thanks?" He smiles painfully and puts a hand to the back of his head. He feels pretty bad- his first time making out with a guy and not only is it after a fight (so, very manly), but he also left the world's most inopportune hickey on the guy (rude, just rude). 

It sounds pretty bad when Zuko says plainly, "fuck," and gets up and almost stomps over to where his shirt is piled on the ground. Sokka sits himself up. The muscles in Zuko's back stretch and flex as he bends over and jams his shirt back over his head. He's not staring though. Also, even with the shirt, the hickey on the side of his neck is still extremely visible and getting darker on Zuko's light skin. He feels a pang in his chest, but that's probably guilt over it. Not that he's missing the contact he had with the guy just now. He can feel the sweat and dirt drying on him.

"I'm sorry," he says, voice a little louder so he knows Zuko can hear. Zuko is straightening his shirt down and whirls around while trying to put his hair up into a tie. 

He has the most incredulous look on his face. 

\---

Zuko  _ cannot  _ be dealing with something so childish. And yet, as soon as he was aware of the giant bruise forming on his neck, he turned fucking giddy with anxiety. He had to cover it up before anyone saw it. He would die of embarrassment and take the rest of the world with him if anyone saw. This was so dumb. 

But when he heard the words " _ I'm sorry _ ," cast across the court as if Sokka had somehow just  _ maimed  _ him- he turned to see what exactly had warranted it. And there Sokka was, sitting on the ground and staring after him as he struggled to tame at least the top of his hair for the moment. He looked so dejected. Alarm blared in Zuko's mind. They had already had one fuck-up of a conversation, he wasn't going to let this one end on a poor note, regardless of some rather unfortunate inconvenience. 

"Sokka, it's fine. I liked it." Sokka then smiled just a bit, turned bright red, but managed to keep watching Zuko as he finally got his hair under control. 

"You? But-?"

"It's fine," Zuko repeated. "Really. I mean it's a pain but, whatever, I'll figure it out." He walked over to Sokka as he stood up. Sokka really was taller than him, the dick. Zuko tugged the lapels of Sokka's shirt straight, smoothing them out. Not paying attention to how much of Sokka's muscles he could feel through the fabric. "I want to stay, but I've got to find Hui now, and get a few things squared away before the dinner." He looked up at Sokka's blue eyes, and wrapped his hands around Sokka's sides, feeling the warmth coming from both. 

"We should do this again sometime." He said, watching Sokka's reaction. Which was to grin really wide, in complete happiness at his words. Good. 

"Even with the hickeys?" Sokka asked as he placed his hands on Zuko's shoulders. He was trying his best to look apologetic, big eyes and a bowed head. 

"Oh don't worry, I'll get you back." 

"Ah fuck." Sokka still smiled. They both released their hold on the other, and Sokka's giggle was nervous. "Alright then." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This! Fic! is already too Long! I'm having a lot of fun though~   
> Oof this is not a comprehensive dive, so there are details and threads of the world that are not fully explored or mentioned. Such is the fate of trying to follow a joke into a full storyline. 
> 
> Hui is the name of Zuko's makeup gal, here. Gotta figure out a way to cover that hickey!
> 
> Your comments fill me with love and writing fuel!   
> Also, I've become a lot more active on tumblr @dipkit if you want to pop by there.   
> Thank you so much for reading! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments are appreciated! Let me know what you think!


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